1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to shaving apparatus, and in particular to a razor magnifying glass.
2. Background of the Invention
For millennia man has used different apparatus to shave his beard. There are many reasons for so doing: cleanliness, comfort in hot summer months, and aesthetic reasons, to name a few. In addition, many women have adopted the custom of shaving their legs, arms, etc. Over the passage of time, the shaving equipment has changed.
The first razors may have been sharpened stones, created around the same time as sharpened stone arrowheads and spearheads. When man learned to work metal, sharpened metal blades were doubtlessly used for shaving purposes.
Sharpened metal razors are still used today. Two examples of these are the straight edge razor and the safety razor. Straight edge razors comprise a tempered steel blade generally about three or four inches long hingedly attached to a handle by means of a rivet or other appropriate fastener. The blade folds into the handle when not in use. The best straight edged razors have traditionally been made in Sheffield, England, although many quality straight edged razors are now made elsewhere.
Safety razors employ sharpened steel bands cut to size called razor blades. These may be installed into the safety razor, used until no longer sharp enough to shave effectively, and then replaced with another blade. Today, many safety razors are made to be disposable. One such disposable razor 2 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Disposable razor 2 comprises disposable razor head attached to disposable razor handle 4. Disposable razor blade(s) 8 are attached to disposable razor head 6. It is not uncommon to have two disposable razor blades 8 attached to disposable razor head 6, in order to provide a closer shave.
One problem associated with shaving is the difficulty of getting a really clear view of what the razor blade is actually shaving. The Jun. 12, 2000 Time Magazine pointed out that as the millions of Baby Boomers age, the most noticeable effects during their middle 40""s tend to be an increasing girthline, declining memory, and reduced eyesight. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a mean of enhancing the view of shaving activities, not only for aging individuals, but also to afford a more accurate shave to all individuals who shave, both men and women.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a razor magnifying glass which magnifies the area a user is shaving. Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include a magnifying lens attached to a razor by means of an extension shaft. Advantages associated with the accomplishment of this object include a better view of an area being shaved, and consequently a more accurate shave and reduced chance of personal injury.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a razor magnifying glass which provides a magnifying lens whose position is adjustable relative to the razor blade(s). Design features allowing this object to be accomplished include to a razor handle adjustably attached to one extreme of an extension shaft, and a lens adjustably attached to an opposite extreme of the extension shaft. The extension shaft may be a telescoping extension shaft, and the adjustable attachment between the extension shaft and the razor handle may be a rotatable extension shaft attachment. Benefits associated with the accomplishment of this object include accurate placement of the magnifying lens in order to provide the best possible view of the shaving activity, and the consequently more accurate shave and reduced chance of personal injury.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a razor magnifying glass which is inexpensive and easy to make. Design features allowing this object to be achieved include the use of components made of readily available and off-the-shelf materials. Benefits associated with reaching this objective include reduced cost, and hence increased availability.